


Always Welcome Home

by CaptainAmericaontheTardis



Series: Grandad's Family Owned Whole Foods and Supermarket [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Date planning, Depression, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gen, M/M, Mother-Son Relationship, Relationship Problems, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2015-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-23 00:08:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3748249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainAmericaontheTardis/pseuds/CaptainAmericaontheTardis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve is already dealing with Bucky being overseas when he gets some news that makes him just want to give up, but he's got good friends and a loving family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always Welcome Home

"Hey Sweetie, What 's up?" Natasha turned her old car off in the driveway, pulling a cellphone to her ear with a smile as she heard Darcy's voice on the other end. 

"I'm about to go into my chem class, I just wanted to make sure that you got home alright." 

Natasha gathered her bag and wall mart bag with coffee in it, kicking the door open and climbing out. "Yeah I just got here, you called just in time." 

She leaned on the car for a moment before continuing, her voice slightly deeper, "You know that Chem class is really starting to get on my nerves. Why would they even offer a two hour class at 6 in the evening? just as people's girlfriends are getting off work." 

Darcy giggled on the other end, Natasha could hear scraping of chairs and footsteps in the background, but she answered sadly, the redhead could almost hear her pouting lips, "I don't know-- Dum-Dums-- And I won't get to see you tomorrow either." 

Natasha's face fell into a frown and she kicked the edge of her tire, "Why not?" 

"I've got lab and then I've got to go on this art trip, I won't be back till late. I'm sorry." 

Natasha wrapped her free arm around her middle, "It's fine, don't apologize for your school, baby. We'll hang out this weekend." 

"You promise?" 

"Yeah, we'll go to the pound and look for a cat, like we planned." Natasha walked towards the door to her apartment, holding the hold between her shoulder and head while she fished out the house keys. 

"How many dates will that be?" Darcy asked almost rhetorically and Nat's eyebrow shot up. 

"It'll be our third.. Date? I believe" 

"Darcy hummed into the phone, "You know what they say about the third date.." 

Natasha laughed mischievously as she opened the door, "Then I guess it'll definitely be worth the wait." 

Natasha could almost hear Darcy's naughty thoughts on the other end, "Yes. It. Will. I gotta go, the dude's here and he's looking at me weird. I don't want to freak you out but I think he might be a mind reader." 

Natasha laughed, shutting the door, "Okay, by baby, I'll text you in the morning." 

"Bye!" 

"Bye!" Natasha clicked the phone off and dragged herself into the tiny living area being shared by three people. Steve was on the edge of the couch with his knees up, reading a piece of paper. 

She plopped the phone on the table and then sunk into the cushions, sliding down slightly until she was in a slumping position. Steve didn't look up from what he was reading. 

She closed her eyes until he blinked and then folded the paper back into the neat square that it was originally. 

He held it up, "Letter from Bucky." 

She nodded with a little "Ah." wiggling slightly closer to the small man, "How is he doing?" 

Steve shrugged, he replied sadly, "I don't know, I don't know if he would even tell me if something was wrong. The jerk's just trying to make me feel better." 

Natasha made a grabby motion for the letter and Steve handed it to her, she unfolded it and skimmed over the words, "Yeah, what a jerk.. Not wanting his best friend to worry about him. Despicable." 

Steve snatched the letter out of her fingers with a quick glare in her direction, he folded it back up and then slipped it into a pocket in his sketchbook, the one that was bulging from all the previous letters received. 

He sighed and closed the book, falling back with a small poof on the couch, he rolled his neck so that he was looking at Natasha. 

"Why did that idiot want to go into the Army?" He almost whined. 

Natasha wiggled up until she was back in a sitting position, a sympathetic expression on her face. "I'm sorry, man... You sending a letter back?" 

Steve nodded, "Yeah, I'll mail it tomorrow." 

"Well, give him my love for me, will you?" She put a reassuring hand on his slightly boney shoulder. "Hey!" 

She popped up with a smile, "How about we have a B- movie marathon? Take your mind off things." She offered, "I can tell Maria to pick up some popcorn on her way home." 

Steve cracked a little smile for the first time since Natasha had been there, "That sounds fun, it does, but I promised Sam I would meet him at his house in a bit. He said he had something important to tell me." 

"Well that'll work to-- I'm telling Maria to pick up the popcorn anyway." Natasha pulled her phone out and began to text. 

"Sounds good, I'll probably catch you guys at the end." 

Natasha smirked over at him, "Unless you get lucky, in which case feel free to stay the night over there." She winked and he rolled his eyes. 

"I doubt it, he's got drills in the morning." 

Natasha put a thumb in the air, turning it into a thumbs down while blowing a raspberry. "Tough break, man. You--" 

She stopped as the front door opened without a warning, the pair stopped and looked at each other. 

"Did you lock the door?" Steve immediately inquired, Natasha nodded. The door slammed shut and the woman stood up, pulling out a bat from behind the couch. Steve got his cell phone out, sitting up on his knees with wide eyes. 

Natasha held the bat at the ready, in the doorway. "If you're here to rob us, we're very poor, you can have our money but please let us keep the T.v!" She called bravely into the hall. 

She sighed and put the bat down as she saw who was coming into the apartment, "Mrs. Rogers, it's just you." 

A woman resembling Steve in more ways than one walked briskly into the living area, bags hanging off her elbows. Her face was drawn down but kind with twinkling blur eyes. 

"Don't be silly, lass, of course it's me. Robbers aren't going to waste their time with this place, they'll go to the old money apartments down the road." Her Irish accent was thick and she stopped in the doorway, examining Natasha closely. 

The older woman patted her cheek and stroked the edge of her hair, "How are you, lovely? Hungry? I've brought some food." She held up the bags around her elbows. 

Steve stood up, watching her with concern, "Mom, you shouldn't be out, you're still getting over that bout of pneumonia." 

She waved a hand in response, pushing back down on the couch and patting his cheek, "Don't worry about me, I'm just fine, been feeling much better today. But you, boy, you look pale. Did you take your medications today?" 

"I was born pale, mom, it doesn't matter if I take my meds or not." 

She gave him a stern look and he shut up quickly, instead getting up and taking some of the bags off of her arm, carrying them to the kitchen. Natasha was already digging in to some potato salad, carefully packed in a plastic container. 

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Rogers, I think I would have puked if I had to eat Ramen noodles again." She said between bites, smacking Steve's hand as he tried to take the container to put it in the fridge. 

Sarah Roger's looked around the kitchen, "Where is that young man you've been with? Sam? I brought enough for him too." 

"I'm meeting him at his place in a bit, he said he had something important to tell me." Steve said between storing containers in the fridge. 

Natasha hugged Sarah and then slipped away into her room, happily with the potato salad and a fork, leaving the mother and son in the kitchen. 

"Well isn't that exciting. But here, eat something before you go." She pushed a container full of what looked like spaghetti into his hands and he gave in, sitting down and taking a few bites. 

"But I'm serious, Steven, are you okay? You look down." She inquired, smashing the bags between her palms. 

"Yeah, I'm okay, just a little tired. Besides--" He put his fork down and looked up "I'm more worried about you, the doctor said you should take it easy. You gotta be careful, mom." 

She snorted in denial, a trait which Steve had apparently picked up from her, "I'm okay, really. I'm not as fragile as you seem to think." She sighed, "Besides, I'm just keeping busy; It's been dull around the house since you moved out." 

She continued, messing with things on the counter even though it was relatively clean, "I know you're trying to be independent, and I'm proud of you but I just thought I should remind you that you can always come home." 

Steve nodded and stood up, going around the counter and giving her a hug, she reciprocated, pulling him closer. 

"I know and I will come home-- If it ever gets to be too much." 

She looked at him lovingly and patted his blond hair away from his face, "Thank you, that's all I needed to hear." 

"I better head over to Sam's, I don't want to be out too late." 

His mother put a finger up with a small "Oh!" Then she went to fridge and pulled out another container, "Here, give him some food, I bet he misses home cooked meals." 

Steve seemed to consider arguing but decided against it and just took the food, finding his keys and looking around, asking himself if he forgot something. 

"Inhaler." She handed it to him, he had no idea how she knew where it was but he didn't question it. 

He stopped just as he was about to get into the car, "Be careful driving home and stop if you feel light headed, the doctor said that might happen." 

"I am fine, Steve, you're going to worry yourself into an early grave like this, go out. Have some fun." 

 

.   
.   
.   
"Hey baby, sorry I'm late." Sam ran up to the smaller man and gave him a quick hug, they were standing outside his apartment, a nice place and the sun was going down. "Got stuck in traffic." 

"It's fine--" He moved closer to Sam as the taller man put an arm around his shoulders, leaning on the car, "What did you need to tell me?" 

Sam sucked in some air, "Well, I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing but-- They're moving me.." 

He watched Steve carefully, moving a couple feet back to gauge his reaction, the blonde's eyebrows furrowed and his jaw tensed. "Moving you? Moving you where?" 

His voice was seriously concerned and Sam seemed to cringe slightly, "To a base in California-- I just got the news this afternoon..." 

Steve didn't reply and Sam was getting tense as the air around them seemed to still, "What-- What do you think?" He asked quietly, looking the smaller man over in uncertainty, 

Steve shuffled his feet and looked down, processing what was happening, "I don't know what I think.. What does this mean?" 

"What do you mean, 'what does this mean'? Like, for us?" Steve nodded, "Well.." Sam moved a few inches closer, shrugging his shoulders, "You could always.. Come with me..? There's a really nice school in the area." He added quickly. 

Steve looked green, he was silent for a few minutes, "You know I would go with you in a heart beat-- But I can't just leave, someone has to take care of my mom and my job's here and--" He pinched the bridge of his nose with a long exhale. 

"Does this mean we're over, Sam?" 

Sam shook his head instantly, moving forward closer to the other man, "No! No.. I mean, we'll figure something out.. I promise.." He put a hand on the side of Steve's head. "Even if it's a long distance thing for a little while." 

Steve leaned into Sam's arm, looking much older and tired, "That's good, I don't want it to be over." 

"Me either.. And I don't want you to choose between me or your life here--" 

"How long until you move?" 

"I got thirty days.. We can figure something out by then." 

Steve looked like he had a lot more to say but instead he just nodded and agreed, letting Sam pull him into a tight hug. His boyfriend looked him over, a moment later, 

"You look beat, man.. Why don't you go get some sleep? I'm sorry I sprung this on you." 

Steve put his fingers through his hair, taking a deep breath, "No, I'm happy you told me sooner than later." 

Sam pulled him in for a kiss, Steve letting it happen. When they pulled away Sam smacked his lips, "Is that garlic?" 

Steve chuckled, "Yeah, oh and speaking of--" He turned away and got into his car, pulling out the container of food and handing it to his boyfriend. "From my mom, she wants to make sure you're eating well enough." 

"Tell her I said 'Thanks'" 

"I will." Steve said sincerely, 

Sam still looked worried as he watched Steve get into his car, "I'll talk to you tomorrow, right? It's going to be okay, I promise." 

Steve smiled up at Sam from inside the car, " I know, I just hate the idea of you being on the other side of the country." 

Sam nodded in agreement, "Me too, baby, me too." 

.   
.   
. 

"I'm coming! just hold on!" There was a flurry of movement on the other side of the door until it opened and Sarah Rogers looked out, tying her robe. 

"Steve, are you alright?" 

The young man sighed and shook his head in a tiny almost unnoticeable motion, "Sam's moving to the other side of the country." He stated silently. 

She sighed but nodded, "Love hurts, don't it?' 

Steve nodded lamely on the doorstep, "I told my boss I'm not coming into work tomorrow." 

She opened her arms and beckoned him in, "Well, you're always welcome back home, even when life is shit."

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Comment if you like! :D


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